Dr.Shahid Amin Trali
Organizational systems today make people unhappy and increase their stress levels. There are many more negative outcomes for organizations due to inadequate systems. A system is an organized collection of subsystems needed to attain a specific objective. The designs vary from simple to complex, and each system has its processes, methods, inputs, and outcomes. Usually, a system is made up of smaller subsystems. If one minor subsystem fails, the entire system may fail to produce the results. An excellent example of a system is the human body, and even a tiny organ in the human body can make things great and worse. Organizations are not an exception; everything and everyone matters with their performances towards the betterment of the organization and its stakeholders.
A sound organizational system is needed to achieve the objectives of an organization. Leaders can derive immense benefits and success from sound systems within organizations. A proper plan will allow leaders to organize, document, and manage the team and the responsibilities associated with their roles. If proper techniques are in place, it is easier to manage an organization effectively. It’s a fact that systemizing the entire organization is not an easy, quick process, but it is very achievable. By systemizing the organization, leaders will gain a comprehensive insight into how every aspect of the organization works. It will enable them to manage the teams more effectively, and organizations will continue to evolve and grow by implementing effective systems.
A system can be an open system that may interact with its environment, receive inputs, and deliver outputs. An available system can quickly adapt to the demand of the users. On the other side, a closed system isolates itself from its environment. Since organizations face more competition today, securing methods to survive in the competitive climate takes work. A system can be a sound system as well as a flawed system. A poor system makes life difficult for the performers. An imperfect system can be easily made effective with the right approach and good intentions. Not only owners and leaders but in a flawed system, everyone needs to contribute and sense their responsibilities to improve the system.
There are also cases of corrupt and greedy systems in organizations. “A bad system will beat a good person every time” (W. Edwards Deming). Such an evil and greedy approach will also eat up decent people. The real challenge is to understand whether the cheap system is accidental or something that will continue for a long time. The choice is ours to accept or be mute spectators in a lousy system, which will quickly kill our inner spirit. Corrupt systems will defeat us every time. But the best option is to develop courage and raise our concern against wrongdoings; we must not compromise with our inner values. The organization itself is also mostly going to suffer because of its greedy practices in it. We should not hesitate to challenge greedy and corrupt systems. There is also a serious concern as sometimes we say that our patience is being tested and we will soon get out of the crisis. We remain silent, but till then, evil tends to increase in intensity and have dire outcomes for us. We are responsible for making this evil stronger. We are not supposed to become ignorant, but we are supposed to speak the truth at least. If it’s wrong, then it’s terrible, and we can’t expect greedy systems to do any favor for anyone. When things are expected to go beyond control, it’s better to quit greedy and corrupt systems.
Natural leaders and owners must be deep thinkers and observers in today’s organizations. They must care for every stakeholder and strive for a safe and successful system. A sound system must be able to solve the genuine problems of its stakeholders. Promising approaches need to believe in honesty, empathy, and transparency.
Leaders must ensure sustainability and high quality of systems. A sound plan must enhance the lives of the employees. Organizations should appreciate the employees and must explore every opportunity to develop them. Sound systems must be adaptable as circumstances change quickly, and therefore, systems need to change to keep up. Creating sound systems will help organizations to stay streamlined, efficient, and effective.
(The author is an Associate Professor in the School of Management, ITM University Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh)
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